Data Hawk
by Blue Lone Wolf 2574
Summary: Arthur Pendragon's an FBI agent undercover in a sting operation, where he meets the team hacker going simply by the name 'M'. Can Arthur prove to 'M' that he can be trusted before he slips away? Or will this all end in tragedy? Rated T to be safe.


Hey there! It's Blue once again for you returning readers. And if you don't me then… where the hell have you been? Anywho, I thought I'd test out an idea of mine in a category that has yet to be tainted by my dark presence. C'mon now, you know I'm a necessary evil. With that said and done, let's get started! I don't own '_Merlin_' (the show you fools) in any shape or form. Though I kinda wish Colin's ears weren't quite that big compared to his hair. Enjoy!

"Iii" = speech

"_Iii_" = radio/phone speech

_Iii_ = thought

Chapter 1: Caught

Merlin stared at his computer screen with anxious eyes of sharp blue, his pale almost gaunt face lit by the light of the screen and nothing else. After all he was in the back of a rather cramped, and possibly foul-smelling, circa 1980's van. His employer had found it at a used car lot and told him to use it and like it. After the first five minutes, Merlin was surprised to be able to smell much anymore. His thin fingers moved almost like quick footed spiders across the keyboard, his eyes never leaving the screen as he typed out code after code. He'd been hired for his skill and speed. Merlin had wanted to ask questions about what was going to happen, but all he'd gotten was silence and the occasional blank stare. It was bad enough all the men chosen as the 'team' looked like they'd kill him before he could blink. The mere thought of being in their presence made him itchy to up and run. But it was too late for running now, now that he'd sunk in a bit too deep. Hell he'd barely touched the money that the leader kept stuffing into his bag when they parted for the night. Just the thought of having blood money in his pocket made him shiver fearfully.

Blinking away the memories of the past few weeks of preparation and constant drills with his 'teammates', Merlin eyed the schematics of the building that was their target. From just a glance, Merlin knew the computer security system wouldn't have been all that hard of a hack. He probably could've left the entire building with a rather amusing virus but for some reason his employer had other plans. Why the hell the guy needed a physical copy of the files he wanted was beyond him, but he wasn't about to ask questions. There was likely a good reason why his fellow employees were acting all hush-hush around him. The sudden sound of the van's back doors swinging open nearly made Merlin jump out of his skin. He could only stare at the darkness to his left for a moment before a familiar face came out to join him in the light of his laptop.

The raven haired man could only groan his relief as the newcomer just grinned in his ill-earned triumph. "Dammit Arthur don't do that! You have a radio for a reason."

Still grinning, the blonde man came to sat down on an empty chair next to Merlin's, his voice helping feign his innocence in the matter. "Do I? I'm so sorry. I'll try to remember that next time."

"Prat." Merlin grumbled under his breath, earning a light punch to the shoulder before he finally asked. "What're you doing here anyway? I thought the boss man wanted you to watch the streets for cops."

Arthur simply shrugged, his thick black coat doing little to dull the brightness of his hair, its many strands somehow glistening in the limited light. "Got bored. Besides it's not below forty degrees in here. And how can you stand the smell anyway?"

Merlin just chuckled at Arthur's look of disgust. "I lost my sense of smell when I was told to stay in here for more than ten minutes. Don't blame me if the boss gets mad with you."

"Aw c'mon! Not even once?" Arthur mock pleaded, this time making Merlin scowl at him in disapproval.

"No. Unlike you I want to avoid getting clobbered for something I was supposed to be doing but wasn't. I'm thinking that heat isn't the only reason you're here."

As he predicted, the blonde didn't hesitate. "Anything left over?"

"Highly unlikely but you can look anyway." He said blandly, ignoring him as the blonde rose in search of the things he sought. He found them in a corner of the van, in the mini cooler their coworkers somehow knew Merlin might need. At least they were decent enough to not make him pee into a bottle.

Vaguely hearing the plastic lid being opened and the many plastic and paper items being sifted through, Merlin heard Arthur's voice suddenly rise from the silence between them. "So why did you join up? I hear you've got the skills to work for anybody."

Merlin just scoffed, scrolling a page or two of schematics before switching back to his codes. "You say that like I asked to sign up or I volunteered or something."

He heard the blonde pause, feeling his blue gray eyes on his back. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't exactly ask to join like you did." Merlin's eyes never left the computer's screen, but his sadness was too evident in his voice. "It's one of those 'opportunities that presents itself' kinda things. Only it was one that I didn't want. But I got pulled in anyway."

"Why not just quit?" concern laced the blonde's voice, but Merlin gave a humorless chuckle at him.

"Sorry but I'm not a big fan of getting shot dead in the cold dark alley. As long as I get to leave when this is over, I don't really care. Not that what I say really matters to any of them."

Arthur was silent for a moment. "That sucks. Sorry I asked."

"Yeah but you asked." He grumbled, the sound of his typing retaking the silence of the enclosed space. In the corner, the cooler was shut and Arthur reappeared at his left to once again sit in the open chair. He could only stare at the computer's data in slight confusion.

"How are they doing anyway?"

Once again Merlin couldn't help but scoff, finally taking a sip of the coffee he'd almost forgotten he had. "So poorly it's almost sad, practically a heart-breaker. I didn't know big bulky possible murderers moved so slow."

This time the blonde laughed, only his actually held mirth. "Don't let them hear you say stuff like that. They just might shoot you regardless."

"Your vote of confidence is so encouraging. I'll try to remember that when they decide to point a gun at my face." He deadpanned, watching Arthur out of the corner of his eye as the blonde finally bit down into a burger he'd unwrapped.

His face instantly twisted as he forced himself to swallow before speaking. "Yup, that's stale. How long has this been in here?"

This time Merlin looking at him fully, frowning almost like a scolding mother. "If it's stale then don't eat it. And I got that two days ago. I must've forgotten about it."

Arthur wasn't pleased in the slightest as he crumpled the paper around the stale sandwich in his gloved hands before tossing it into the makeshift waste basket next to the 'desk' Merlin was working on. "Moron. Don't leave perishables lying about. People might think they're still edible."

Merlin chose then to grin. "Like you."

"_Not_ counting me!" the blonde snapped, clearly angry. "I'm going back outside in case you're gonna wet yourself again."

Merlin just snickered, watching the blonde get up to leave, his hand already on one of the inner handles. The only confirmation he had was the sound of the door creaking open and the cold air rushing in. "I'll call you if I need anything. And try not to do the same. I hear the pee frozen against your skin hurts like a bitch."

"Gross!" the blonde called from the dark as he shut the doors behind himself, sounding clearly disgusted with the thought.

"But true." He whispered to himself.

Merlin just grinned to himself over his tactful triumph over the blonde. Since meeting him not a week or so before, the raven haired man couldn't help but feel both at ease but out of place with the man. He'd come in late in the game, and their drills, but the boss just gave them another stern glower before going off to do whatever he did. Since his appearance, Arthur had proven confident, arrogant and self-centered. Three qualities Merlin could do without in his new surroundings filled with alpha males, all of whom wanted very little to do with him. But not Arthur. He actually spoke to Merlin, treated him like a human being rather than just another tool to be used for personal gain. This change came as a relief to Merlin, but he knew better. As soon as the job was done, they would all go their separate ways, and he'd likely never see Arthur ever again. Then again, he just wanted to go back to the way things were, before his 'employer' had found out about him.

The sudden crackle of the radio in his ear brought Merlin out of his thoughts, a touch activating the device before he spoke. "M here."

"_M, how are the scans coming?_" he heard his boss, Owen ask over the line. His voice gave clear sign that he was tired and working hard. Looking over his data again, Merlin was quick to respond to the man's inquiry.

"Clean as can be. All should be clear. Is something wrong?"

"_Just covering all the bases. A, how about your end?_" he heard Owen ask, the question clearly pointed to Arthur.

Arthur's voice came as an unknown relief to Merlin when he spoke. He hated it when he felt alone with their boss, even if he wasn't actually there. "_Nothing so far. We're by ourselves out here._"

"_Good. We're almost done up here so get ready to pack up._" Owen stated matter-of-factly, making the raven haired man bristle. He'd been waiting for those words.

"Then what?" Merlin asked almost too quickly, tense now that it was all coming to an end. Rethinking his own plan, he quickly got up and locked the van's doors but left the keys in the ignition. He wouldn't need the van for what he was going to do.

"_Now's not the time M. Save if for later._" Owen growled, clearly annoyed now that a 'subordinate' of his was questioning him.

Merlin wasn't taking no for an answer as he quipped back, sitting back down in his chair as he stared at the dots that were his 'teammates' on his computer screen. "And if I say no?"

"_There's a clear line on who's in charge here. Don't cross it._" He heard Owen snarl, who was likely getting very angry now.

"Is that before or after you 'visited' my mother at the hospital?"

The line went dead, a hush so quiet a pin would sound like thunder. Their boss, suddenly lacking tone to his voice, finally broke the silence. "_How do you know about that?_"

Merlin's voice came out cold and merciless, almost alien even to him. "Like I told you before you stuck a gun in my face, I don't like crime. And I don't like committing it for people like you. You should've thought of that before you dragged me into this."

Almost instantly he could hear Arthur at the back doors, trying the handles and pounding on the back windows, yelling. "M! M what're you doing? Open this door!"

"_What have you done?_" Owen demanded, his voice sounding enraged over Arthur's panicked cries.

"Nothing too permanent, should save the insurance company some money actually. Except getting you and your friends stuck in jail possibly for life." Merlin couldn't help but smile to himself. Sometimes he surprised even himself when it came to things like this. He quickly shook it off. Such thoughts were for later. He felt his face harden when he spoke again, his voice likely a haunting sound over the radio. "Where you can't hurt anyone else."

"_You can't. I paid you. I-._"

He was quick to cut Owen off, his voice remaining cold and toneless. This man was going to suffer, a fact he took ill enjoyment from. "Money doesn't matter to me. Only my family, that being my mother. And you crossed that line. Now you pay. Besides, as soon as I'm far away enough, the authorities are going to find it with just your prints on it. I'm sure they'll be very interested in why all the serial numbers are registered as stolen."

This seemed to be the match to set Owen on fire as his voice outright exploded, nearly making Merlin jump at the rise in volume. "_You little pulpous prick! I'll kill you for this!_"

"Not if security gets you first. Have a fun time in jail Owen." He stated matter-of-factly over the radio line, voices of protest from the rest of the team crowding the frequency with a small crowd of chatter.

He could hear Owen, his 'boss' cursing over the radio over all the other voices, which he quickly shut off. Decisively he pulled the tiny device from his ear and pocketed it. For all he knew the man's screams would make him go deaf. He would decide whether or not to destroy the radio receiver later. Outside the van's back doors, Arthur was still trying the handles, banging on the metal and yelling.

"M? M answer me! Open the door!"Arthur continued to call, his fearful expression made apparent by the moon now sending its silver light down on him thanks to parted clouds. His sharp grey blue eyes were searching the dark for any sign of life, his breath coming in rushed puffs of white.

Closing his laptop and slipping it and all its cabling into his backpack which he'd stuffed under the table, Merlin stared through the frost covered windows one last time at the blonde. Eyes of blue gray stared back at him, silently pleading with him to open the door, let him in, to talk to him. Why he wanted in Merlin didn't know, nor did he care. This was his chance, and he wasn't going to waste it. Finally looking away, Merlin slid away a section of the van's floor to reveal the snow covered street beneath. And a manhole he'd strategically parked on top of when they'd set up for the project. Producing a crowbar he'd hidden also under the table, he lifted the heavy metal thing with some effort, the stench of the underground hitting his nose in a wave. A noise from the front of the van told Merlin that Arthur was still trying to get in. Quickly strapping his backpack on, the raven haired man wasted no time easing himself into the foul smelling darkness below him, hoping all his efforts towards freedom weren't for nothing.

Arthur was trying his hardest not to kick himself. Their conversation should've told him something was wrong. Not that he knew the man all that well, but because something about his behavior had seemed a little off all night. Their 'coworkers' never noticed, mostly since they cared little for the hacker, but Arthur definitely had. For all he knew, the man he knew simple as 'M' was committing suicide inside the very van he'd been in mere minutes before. Giving up on the back doors he moved as quickly as the thick snow would allow to the driver's door, trying the handle and peering through the window. All he saw was more darkness. It was bad enough his last glimpse of the man was with a look of grim sadness on his face. After a moment of nothing, Arthur was fed up. Pulling out his .9 mm, he wasted no time in smashing the window with the butt of the gun. As soon as small pieces of glass went flying, his free hand was immediately searching for the lock mechanism on the door. When he found it, he nearly tore the door open, making the light in the front of the van come on. He didn't waste time as he practically jumped in the driver's seat, twisting to look towards the back. All he found was an empty space.

Panicked now, Arthur pulled the keys from the ignition and stumbled back out into the snow. He practically ran to the back of the van where he struggled to get the key in so he could see the inside better. Swinging both doors open and nearly dropping the flashlight he'd kept in his pocket, Arthur was astonished at what he found. A section of the floor had been removed and a manhole cover had been rolled to rest against the van's inner wall. The smell of the sewers finally hit him as it'd failed to do before. He'd really thought it through, and planned it to go a certain way once he got the response he was looking for. Already Arthur could hear sirens wailing as they approached, the building's alarm going like crazy, yet another thing he'd neglected to notice. Owen was likely struggling against newly activated security doors and cameras. A fitting punishment for whatever M knew Owen had done. Eyeing the cops exiting their cars with guns drawn as they headed right for him, Arthur sighed as he reached into his coat's inner pocket, his gloved fingers coming to rest on his wallet… and his FBI ID badge.

It took nearly three hours for Special Agent Arthur Pendragon to sort out the mess M and the local police had made. It was bad enough he nearly got arrested before a certain old friend of his managed to keep him from landing in cuffs. Staring at him with knowing, mirth filled eyes was the ever lovely Morgana le Fay. A detective with the local NYPD precinct he'd come to know as well as a sister.

"You certainly took your time." Arthur grumbled at her, almost pouting as she chuckled at him.

"This is a busy city. And definitely a very busy night for you. Want to tell me what this is all about?" She said, her pink lips curled in a smile, her raven black hair coming down in wavy curls onto her coats shoulders. Arthur nodded, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"You know Owen?"

Her light grey eyes flashed in recognition, her smile vanishing as she spoke. "I do. What about him?"

"We got wind that he was going to raid this building and steal high security files to sell off to the highest bidder. I was planning on a much better execution of their arrest, but M beat me too it." The blonde said, straining 'M' with almost anger and frustration.

Morgana's face twisted in her confusion, concern filling her eyes as she stared at him, clearly wondering who he was talking about. "M? Who's that?"

Arthur could only shake his head, kicking at the snow at his own incompetence. For not thinking ahead like M had. "No idea. Just a hacker with some terrifying skill and a devious mind I didn't think he possessed. He never did tell me his name like I'd told him mine. Could be he was just protecting himself."

"So where is he now?" Morgana inquired, peering into the open doors leading to the back of the van. Her thin eyebrows rose at what she saw, Arthur waving a frustrated arm at the sight of it all.

"Long gone. He disappeared before I could get to him. He could be anywhere by now." He grumbled, finally stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat. All he wanted right now was to go home and take a long hot shower.

Morgana's voice brought him out of his thoughts, red and blue flashing lights coloring her face in the dimly lit dark. "And you're sure he did all this? What for?"

"From what he was able to tell me, he wasn't given a choice. Hell, they'd even forced him to take his pay. He even said he'd contact us, that being you, of where the money is." The blonde stated, earning him another look of surprise from the woman.

"And why would he do that?"

Arthur couldn't help but roll his eyes. Wasn't it obvious enough? "Because he knew it was stolen. He's been five moves ahead the whole time! And now I've got no way of telling him I wanted to help him."

"Maybe when he calls, you can tell him then." Morgana stated simply, eyeing Arthur thoughtfully as the man ran a gloved hand through his blonde hair.

"Maybe." He sighed, the sudden feel of his cell phone vibrating in his inner pocket making him reach for it. "Hold on I've got to take this."

He moved away from Morgana, looking at the screen of his phone curiously as it read unknown number. Unsure of what else to do, he decided to answer it, letting out a hesitant greeting to the caller. "Hello?"

"_I told you I would call. Or did you forget?_" said M from the other end, sounding both sad and smug at the same time. This alone made Arthur freeze. Neither of which matching the man Arthur thought he was.

"M? Where are you? How did you get this number?"

He heard the raven haired man chuckle softly, the sound almost making him blush. "_I'm far away enough to see that you're good friends with the police, which is very reassuring. At least now I know you're not going to try and kill me in my sleep._"

"Just tell me where you are. We can talk about this. All I want is to talk." Arthur said quickly, looking around, his eyes searching the crowd beyond the yellow crime scene tape seemingly in vain.

This was enough to make the man's tone change, this time completely to that of tired sadness. It was clear then to Arthur that the man had been through enough. "_And all I want is to be left alone. I've kept my secret well hidden all these years. This incident shouldn't change that. I'm sending the address to your phone. You'll find what you need there._"

"But-!" he barely got to speak before he was cut off.

"_Goodbye, FBI Special Agent Pendragon._"

Arthur could only stand there, dumbfounded and in shock, the dull tone of the dead line ringing in his ears. The only thing he didn't fail to notice was melting snow beginning to seep into his shoes and socks, sending chills up and down his spine.

Merlin stood on the street corner, his grey hoodie helping him blend with the small crowd of observers as he closed his cell phone. Certain that no one was looking at him, Merlin didn't hesitate to break away from the small group, tossing the phone into the nearest bin as he went down the street. Within minutes, he was out of sight and out of reach. Mere moments of moving beyond police borders, Merlin pretended to wait at a bus stop before vanishing again before any bystander could notice him long enough. The journey would be long but worth it, even if he had to give up some precious dollars for a new phone. After all, he needed to visit his mother for the first time in weeks. He knew no one could track him now. Mostly because he made nearly every security camera he came across loop old footage for whatever time it took him to enter and leave the space. He'd even gone as far as giving his 'coworkers' false information about his name, address, even his place of birth. He'd be damned if they tracked him that way. Only Owen seemed to know he had any family. And now so did Arthur. Who knew how long it would take for the blonde to start looking for him that way. Either way, he wanted to see his mother before the night was out. Bearing the cold as best he could, Merlin continued to walk.

Arthur was astonished. Practically flabbergasted at the strange turn of events. Out of everything that'd already happened, he hadn't expected M to call him. Him! Of all people. Which only led to even more question whirling in his mind. Even as he did he felt his phone buzz against his face, making him pull it away to look at the screen. 'New e-mail' it stated to him, looking up to call out of Morgana, only to find she too was looking at her phone. She raised her eyes to look at him questioningly, making him shrug as he confirmed if he wanted to open the new message. Almost instantly he saw an address for a building that was likely abandoned somewhere on the other side of the city. Curious, he attempted to see the number that sent the email only to find that all information had been blocked.

_A disposable cell perhaps, or is it cloned? He really wasn't kidding when he didn't want to be traced. Just who is this guy?_ He thought to himself as he clicked his way back to the main screen before pocketing the digital device. Owen and his crew had already been detained and were on their way to the nearest booking station, leaving him with nothing better to do. Walking back up to Morgana as she finished fiddling with her own phone, she eyed him with questioning eyes.

"Any chance of tracking him down?" she inquired, her pale colored eyes already shining with the answer.

If anything, Arthur was tired as hell and could only sigh at her. He really wanted to go to bed now. "Doubt it. He was extra careful about contacting us. He's probably tossed the phone by now. Whatever his plans are, it has nothing to do with us."

"Well I hope you're right. C'mon, we can take my car." Morgana stated coolly, suddenly smiling triumphantly as she made her way to her car on the other side of the crime scene tape.

Confused, he stared at her as he moved to follow. "Where?"

"This address of course! You think I'm just gonna sit behind my desk all night doing paperwork?"

This was enough to make Arthur forget his fatigue for a moment, a smile also gracing his handsome face. "Somehow I didn't think so. Let's get going then."

Morgana smiled victoriously, walking almost giddily towards her sedan with Arthur not all that far behind as he entered her vehicle through the passenger door. She was already buckling up and starting the car when he sat down properly in the seat next to hers. With an amused smile as the woman gripped the wheel, Arthur couldn't help but ask. "Are you going to call it or should I?"

"It's your catch." She said, shrugging as she adjusted her mirror.

"With your help." Arthur countered. It was rare he shared the glory but right now he felt like he needed to be generous for once.

The woman just scoffed at him. "And this 'M' guy you keep talking about."

"True but still…"

This time Morgana's stern look cut him off, the smile killing the seriousness of the expression pointed his way. "Go ahead. I'll let you have your fun. This time."

Arthur just smiled like a fool as he picked up the radio receiver on her dashboard, remembering his lines he needed to say for back up and telling their superiors where they were going. He knew then that it was bound to be a long night. His much awaited hot shower would have to wait for tomorrow. _Whenever that is._ He thought to himself as Morgana pulled away from the crime scene and headed down the road, bound for the address sent to them by a complete stranger.

Merlin smiled to himself in triumph when he finally passed through the front doors of the hospital his mother was staying in. She'd gotten pretty ill a few days before Owen showed up and he'd barely gotten a chance to see her. Seeing her now and knowing she was well was already raising his spirits. Even as he walked up to the desk, told them who he was and why he was there, signed the sheet and headed for the elevator, he felt a pang of guilt. It'd been wrong of him to leave Arthur like that, after how nice the man had been to him. He'd been somewhat surprised to find out that he was a government official, but had been smart to tell Owen about the file the FBI had obviously fabricated for him. With a bit of tweaking, he made it a bit more believable. Mostly because he didn't want to see the man get killed. And the other reason being that he'd made himself into a good person to 'tell all' to. Now it seemed like he'd left him out on a limb, out in the open, vulnerable and without answers. Hell he'd looked truly worried when he'd locked himself into the van. He'd been sure the blonde would pry the doors open with his bare hands.

As the elevator doors chimed almost happily as they opened, Merlin made a proverbial b-line for his mother's hospital room, peeping in to see she was sitting up. This alone made him happy. It meant, he hoped, that she was getting better. Taking a closer look, he couldn't help but chuckle at the book their friend Gwen certainly must've snuck in for her. Merlin nearly chuckled in amusement to himself when he remembered how she would tell him how much he'd gotten from the father he'd never known. Her hair was a dark shade of brown, coming down in tired curls over her pale and tired face. Like most children, Merlin had gotten his blue eyes from her, a fact that she loved to point out now and again. An ever-loving soul that Merlin would never tire of seeing until his dying day, even if she started to fuss over how old she might look.

Deciding not to hold it off for much longer, Merlin finally entered the room, his grin of relieved happiness spreading across his face like a joyous stain. "Hello Mum."

Quickly looking up from her book, Hunith Emrys let loose a smile that warmed him down to the soul, her book quickly forgotten. "Merlin! Sweetheart you had me worried! Where have you been? I've been worried sick to the bone."

With that Merlin chuckled, leaning so that she could hug him better. "Oh no, none of that now. You're sick enough as is."

Her laugh came as music to his ears as they parted, both of them smiling like fools. "Too true. You could've at least called."

"Sorry Mum. I was busy. I meant to, I really did." He said, his expression growing hard against his will. He didn't want to remember what he'd been doing less than an hour ago.

If Hunith noticed this change, she didn't respond. Instead, she simply continued to speak as if nothing had changed. "I know you did dear. Now why are you here so late? Surely you should be sleeping by now."

"I'd just finished so I thought I'd come see you before heading home. I was close by anyway so it was no bother. What about you? How are you feeling?" he asked, concern for her health suddenly popping into mind.

For once, Hunith scowled almost like a child, making Merlin chuckle. "Oh just outright horrid. The medications here taste just awful but they're working well. I'm told I should be out in a week or so."

"That's wonderful! I'll make you a homecoming dinner then." He stated, causing the lost smile to return to her tired face.

"Sounds lovely. Have you been practicing what I taught you?" she asked, trying not laugh when her son winced at the question.

"Yes." He said, but not wholeheartedly.

This only gave Hunith cause to prod her son some more, her knowing gaze only making him fidget. "Are you sure?"

"I'm not dead yet am I?" Merlin grounded out, pouting at her like he was five years old again.

Hunith's smile faded a little, a crease of worry wrinkling her brow, reaching out with a hand to take one of his. "Don't joke about that. You'll give me a scare."

"Sorry." He muttered, suddenly feeling guilty before she was back at it again.

"But really dear. How well have you been eating? You look so pale!"

Merlin just rolled his eyes. "That's because it's cold outside! It's winter! You tend to lose skin color in this kind of weather."

"And you're so skinny! Have you had a bite to eat at all?" she scolded, frowning at him as much as she could. The twinkle in her eye only told him she was just teasing.

"I've always been this skinny! Trust me, I'm not going to get any fatter!" he protested, glancing from her to down at himself. It was true, in the several weeks he'd been stuck with Owen, he hadn't exactly gained so much as a half pound of weight.

This time Hunith let her expression turn into a true scowl of disapproval, tugging at his hand like it were a rope. "Don't jest with me, my boy. Now you sit and tell me everything. And don't you dare leave out a single detail you hear?"

Merlin couldn't help but smile. Only she could fuss so much then become so demanding all in one conversation. Still smiling like a happy fool, Merlin took his bag off as he sat into one of the visitor's chairs. It would likely be a while before he got home. The thought of staying with his mother for the rest of the night didn't bother him in the slightest.

And so begins a new adventure? Like what you see? Then come again when I return with some badass suspense for all. Just what are Arthur and Morgana going to find when they arrive at their destination? Are Merlin and his mother Hunith destined for more peaceful days ahead? Only one way to find out! Comin' soon:

Next chapter:

Chapter 2: Long Day After

Arthur and Morgana are on their way to see just what 'M' has left for them to find, while Merlin just wants to enjoy some anonymity. Is he really going to get it? Or is this just the beginning of a journey not even our favorite protagonist can avoid? Find out when '_Data Hawk_' returns with its next installment:

_**Chapter 2: Long Day After!**_

Ps: let me know what you guys think of the title. I honestly couldn't think of anything else so don't hold back when you tell me if it sucks or not. Later!


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